Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It was important to encourage people to vote in favour of the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union and candidates who wanted to remain in the Union. The voices of those in the North who wish to remain within the European Union have to be heard, but they are not being heard at Westminster. I have no doubt that Martina and Naomi will work very well together in the European Parliament and hope Diane Dodds will do likewise.

Five years ago there was a surge in Sinn Féin's level of support when it won an additional 105 council seats. It was always going to be a challenge for us to hold all of those seats. This time around the surge was in the level of support for the Green Party and we lost some valued councillors. I thank them for their hard work. I also thank their families for their sacrifices and their campaign teams.I congratulate those who won their seats. Many of them topped the poll in different areas. I commend those who form part of the Seanad teams here in Leinster House for their performances, including Senators Grace O'Sullivan and Alice-Mary Higgins. I hope I am not leaving anybody else out. I also commend Ms Grace McManus, who is part of my party's team, and Ms Geraldine Donohue, who is part of Senator Boyhan's team, who were both successful, as well as Senator McDowell's parliamentary assistant, Ms Samantha Long, and Mr. Séamus Mac Floinn, who just missed out on seats. It takes real courage and commitment to stand before the people one wishes to serve, so I wish all of them well in the future and thank them for standing up for what they believe in.

This is the Green Party's election, and I congratulate the party wholeheartedly. We must all work together to tackle this climate emergency, and Sinn Féin is committed to doing so in a way that incentivises the reduction of carbon emissions while protecting the least well-off in society and ensuring that big businesses and corporations pay their fair share.

For Sinn Féin, elections have come and gone over the past 100 years or so, but this one has been a particularly humbling experience, and one from which we will learn and grow. Sometimes the things that hurt the most teach the greatest lessons, and in a society where thousands of children are homeless and working families live hand to mouth, Sinn Féin and republican politics have never been needed more. Our activists are committed to change, and to standing up for those who need it most. We have a job to do and we will continue to use our mandate at all levels to pursue progressive change and, of course, a united Ireland.

Finally, we have to examine why so many people did not come out to vote. If we want to demonstrate our commitment to participatory democracy, we will provide the resources for active citizenship programmes throughout the State. I cannot understand why citizens who reach the age of 18 are not automatically registered to vote. Why are barriers put in place, such as sending young people to Garda stations, making them fill out forms and present them at local authorities, when there is no need for them whatsoever? Could the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government come into the House to have a full debate on how the barriers to voting and fully participating in democracy can be removed once and for all?